That's what they say on ChaLean Extreme and that's what I've been doing lately...for the past 3 weeks. It is SO CUTE to hear Eissa repeat that phrase every time she hears it.
I really love this program. It's different (lifting weights...never done a program like that) and fun. I love all that Chalene Johnson does though. I can't stand a cheesy exercise video.
I actually started the ChaLean Extreme in July. I did it on a trial basis...we were having company come and I knew I wouldn't be doing it for very long at that point...just a couple of weeks max. And that's what I did. So, I did a couple of weeks of it and then didn't pick it up again until 3 weeks ago. I will be doing it rigidly until we go to the U.S....only 5 weeks away! And even after that, I really plan to keep it up. Moderation, Michawn...moderation! ;)
The scale hasn't shown much difference (only 2 pounds, but I'm staying on points with Weight Watchers, so it's fine)...I'm assuming that's all about the muscle gain (and the whole muscle weighs more than fat thing). But, my body is changing...so nice...and so time for it. ;) And, from what others say, at some point with all this muscle gain, the pounds will eventually just 'melt away'...muscle burns fat.
So far, since I started (I didn't measure 3 weeks ago, but the measurements in July would be the same as 3 weeks ago), I've lost a total of 7 inches!! From my waist, since July, 2 inches! Which is awesome...that's my problem area.
I still have a long way to go. It will be interesting to see where I end up at the end of these next 5 weeks. But, I'm excited and am definitely staying on track. Yay!
I took pictures of my 'progress' so far...not fast progress...and not pretty progress...but still progress.
In the first picture, taken RIGHT after we got back from the United States...end of Feb./beginning of March, I had gained 20 pounds in those 2 months alone and it shows. You can just SEE all the chips/salsa/white queso and Blue Bell. This picture grosses me out bigtime. And cracks me up. I don't even look like Michawn there. This is like the blowfish Michawn. Ha ha ha. Oh, thank God some of that is gone. ;) Sooooo very uncomfortable!
The second one was taken in July. I was about 20 pounds lighter than the first picture. This was the day before I started the ChaLean Extreme trial run.
The picture that was taken today doesn't show a drastic change from the July pictures, but I think I just look stronger and more firm, esp. in my midsection and my chest/shoulders. I know I feel tons better. I ran 3 miles a couple of nights ago. I'm on my way back. ;)
I actually had these pictures up on here, but took them down upon hubby's request...there was a bikini involved (and me just standing there in a bikini...not like at the beach or anything), so I guess that's why. Not at all that I would be causing anyone to stumble...ha ha ha. But, maybe in the future I will make this blog private or something and can share with you the bikini mugshots.
I still have a pregnant-looking pooch in my belly area, but it's slowly but surely diminishing. I think that I can be so 'tell-all' (and 'show-all' although the pics aren't up now...again, maybe in the future) because I know that I will once again look like the old Michawn. Thank God! I will have other pictures to show you of skinnier and skinnier Michawns. ;) I will be able to look back at these pictures and laugh at them (the way I am laughing about that first picture...of the blowfish) and thank God for the progress and being skinny again. Oh how fun that will be.
Here's a run-down of what I've lost inches-wise in each area:
chest - 1 1/2 in.
left upper arm - 3/4 in.
right upper arm - 3/4 in.
waist - 2 in.
hips - 1/2 in.
left upper leg - 1/2 in.
right upper leg - 1/2 in.
left calf - 1/4 in.
right calf - 1/4 in.
Alright, I'm off to eat right and exercise. ;) Have a great day!!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
4 Down, 25 To Go
Things are going well. I have lost 4 pounds since the Monday before last (a week and a half). And, I've also lost an inch in my waist. Yay.
Nothing much to report...I really should post some recipes soon, but don't have the time right now. Soon. Maybe. ;) Perhaps I should just say eventually.
My goal maintaining range is 135-140. So actually I guess I could get by with losing just 20 more. But, I really hope to lose down to 135 for my entry back into the United States...land of the cheese and home of the Tex-Mex. :)
Nothing much to report...I really should post some recipes soon, but don't have the time right now. Soon. Maybe. ;) Perhaps I should just say eventually.
My goal maintaining range is 135-140. So actually I guess I could get by with losing just 20 more. But, I really hope to lose down to 135 for my entry back into the United States...land of the cheese and home of the Tex-Mex. :)
Saturday, August 29, 2009
I Can Maintain Like Nobody's Business
Alright, so I fasted (see the last post). That went well. Although it wasn't the goal of my fasting at all, a natural by-product of fasting is that you lose weight. Most people gain it all back afterwards. The day I started fasting, I weighed in at 168. I lost down to 155. After I started eating food again, I naturally went back up a bit, but after I reached 163, it stopped climbing and I maintained.
Since that point I've basically done nothing. I've exercised some, but nothing terribly consistent. I've watched what I eat some, but not terribly diligently. And even still, I've hovered around 163...for the last 3 months. That's good news actually...it proves that I really can maintain and not always have to be so strict once I do lose the weight. It makes sense...the only times I've ever gained weight before was with pregnancy...not purely food-related. Well, besides the one 2-month Mexican food binge. ;) (Scroll down to the March 28th post to find out the results of that 2 months) But, let's not count that, shall we? Ha ha ha.
So, everything has been off for the past 3 months. I didn't do anything. I didn't go crazy with my eating and I didn't just lay on the couch doing nothing physically. But, I wasn't doing anything consistently.
This past week marked the 3 month countdown until we go to the states (woohoo!!). Ever since Cass was born, my true mindset has been that I just need to lose the weight before furlough. Well, here it is and I work really well under pressure. :)
I started really strictly doing Weight Watchers on this past Monday. Even more strict than before, because I'm now not only sticking to my points, but I'm also trying to eat the right amounts of each food (for instance, at least 5 servings of fruits/vegetables a day). On Monday I weighed in at 164. This morning I was 161.6. I've also lost a 1/2 inch in my waist since Monday. And that is without exercise. I'll add it back in there soon.
So, here we go...again. And this time until it's gone, for real. I have to...it's the only time I have left before furlough.
So, there you have it, Steph. :) There's the update.
Since that point I've basically done nothing. I've exercised some, but nothing terribly consistent. I've watched what I eat some, but not terribly diligently. And even still, I've hovered around 163...for the last 3 months. That's good news actually...it proves that I really can maintain and not always have to be so strict once I do lose the weight. It makes sense...the only times I've ever gained weight before was with pregnancy...not purely food-related. Well, besides the one 2-month Mexican food binge. ;) (Scroll down to the March 28th post to find out the results of that 2 months) But, let's not count that, shall we? Ha ha ha.
So, everything has been off for the past 3 months. I didn't do anything. I didn't go crazy with my eating and I didn't just lay on the couch doing nothing physically. But, I wasn't doing anything consistently.
This past week marked the 3 month countdown until we go to the states (woohoo!!). Ever since Cass was born, my true mindset has been that I just need to lose the weight before furlough. Well, here it is and I work really well under pressure. :)
I started really strictly doing Weight Watchers on this past Monday. Even more strict than before, because I'm now not only sticking to my points, but I'm also trying to eat the right amounts of each food (for instance, at least 5 servings of fruits/vegetables a day). On Monday I weighed in at 164. This morning I was 161.6. I've also lost a 1/2 inch in my waist since Monday. And that is without exercise. I'll add it back in there soon.
So, here we go...again. And this time until it's gone, for real. I have to...it's the only time I have left before furlough.
So, there you have it, Steph. :) There's the update.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fasting
O.K., so I'm fasting right now...on an extended juice fast. If you want to read more about it, just go to the post on my main blog about it here. But, long story short, I will obviously not be doing Weight Watchers for a while. I'll come right back though after I'm done. O.K.? :) See you then. ;)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
July 4th
Remember how I mentioned in my last post about being a bit unmotivated? Yeah, well it continued on that way for a while. I managed to lose 3 more pounds after that, but still...just kind of floundered a bit.
But, last Saturday started my recommitment to the 20 pounds in 10 weeks thing. Me and Joel might possibly take a little trip to a nearby town in the first of July. So, from last Saturday until July 4th, I have 10 weeks to get down to 150 (short-term goal for the get-away). So far so good.
Last week's weigh-in revealed 170 pounds. Yesterday...167.4. The goal is 2 pounds a week...accomplished (and then some). Now I just have to keep it up.
And I will. I heard a talk the other day about how some of us don't lose weight because we don't really expect to. We WANT to lose weight, but if we are really honest with ourselves, what we EXPECT is something different. We expect that we'll do well for a few weeks, maybe, and then something will come up and derail us...or whatever the case may be (whatever expectations may apply). But, the point is that our desires so often don't line up with our expectations. That of course applies to more than just weight loss.
So, I'm EXPECTING to lose these 20 pounds by July 4th. I WILL do it.
And, an added bonus yesterday was that I was down another 1/2 inch in the waist.
For those of you wanting to lose weight, but you just can't afford a program...let me tell you, you don't have to pay to be a part of a program anymore...really. There are so many GREAT resources online. Here are just a couple:
SparkPeople.com - really great articles and tools you can use (thanks Olivia!)
HealthDiscovery.net - a really great site...I'm a part of one of their forums; basically kind of a Weight Watchers bootcamp buddy system
That's all for now. I'm running out the door. But, I'll try not to be so scarce. I have lots to share, so I'll try to do that.
But, last Saturday started my recommitment to the 20 pounds in 10 weeks thing. Me and Joel might possibly take a little trip to a nearby town in the first of July. So, from last Saturday until July 4th, I have 10 weeks to get down to 150 (short-term goal for the get-away). So far so good.
Last week's weigh-in revealed 170 pounds. Yesterday...167.4. The goal is 2 pounds a week...accomplished (and then some). Now I just have to keep it up.
And I will. I heard a talk the other day about how some of us don't lose weight because we don't really expect to. We WANT to lose weight, but if we are really honest with ourselves, what we EXPECT is something different. We expect that we'll do well for a few weeks, maybe, and then something will come up and derail us...or whatever the case may be (whatever expectations may apply). But, the point is that our desires so often don't line up with our expectations. That of course applies to more than just weight loss.
So, I'm EXPECTING to lose these 20 pounds by July 4th. I WILL do it.
And, an added bonus yesterday was that I was down another 1/2 inch in the waist.
For those of you wanting to lose weight, but you just can't afford a program...let me tell you, you don't have to pay to be a part of a program anymore...really. There are so many GREAT resources online. Here are just a couple:
SparkPeople.com - really great articles and tools you can use (thanks Olivia!)
HealthDiscovery.net - a really great site...I'm a part of one of their forums; basically kind of a Weight Watchers bootcamp buddy system
That's all for now. I'm running out the door. But, I'll try not to be so scarce. I have lots to share, so I'll try to do that.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
And Again...Full Throttle (Until July Anyway) :)
Well, our trip to the United States was AWESOME!!!! Just what I needed...what we all needed. My plan to 'maintain' went right out the window as soon as we got there and I had all that access...all those options. Oh my-lanta...how I had missed some of my favorite foods...mexican restaurants and Blue Bell are some of the first that come to mind.
So, I left here at 161.5 pounds. I had lost around 19 pounds since beginning my weight loss journey after Cass was born. Guess how much I gained while in the United States? 19 pounds!! :) Ha ha ha. That seriously cracks me up.
Let me just tell you...it was worth every ounce. I thoroughly enjoyed every single pound! No worries, no regrets here.
But, yes...now I am on my way to skinny again. I look like I did in those first pictures again (last post). But, I've already made progress. I started out at 180 again and am back down to 173 or so. Not too bad...7 pounds in about 3 weeks.
I hit a little bit of a rough spot the past few days...just a little bit unmotivated. I love to run, but developed some major shin splints. I had gotten up to running 30 minutes straight around 4 times a week. But, the shin splints are making me not too happy about running. They are killers. Still, on I go. Hopefully the pain will subside soon and the motivation will return.
I have several goals. Here they are:
1. I am still doing Weight Watchers and last week I joined a challenge on their message boards...20 pounds in 10 weeks. So, if I accomplish that, I will be 153 pounds by June 1st. That will leave 18 pounds more after that to reach my goal of 135.
2. We are planning to take a little trip up north to Manaus (the base we are scheduled to move to at the end of this year) the first part of July. So, after the 20 pounds by June 1st, that leaves me 4 more weeks to lose 2 pounds a week before we go on our trip...putting me down to 145 pounds by June 29th. That's what I weighed when I got pregnant with Eissa. It'll be nice to be back to that again.
At that point, I will go into maintenance mode for about a month or month and a half. We will be traveling and when we get back we will have visitors from the states staying with us (and we'll be showing them all the sights and foods known here). And, honestly 145 pounds is actually not a bad weight for me. But, I do hope to make it back to the 135-140 range at some point...after our company leaves perhaps. But, for the more immediate future (June 29th to be exact), my goal is 145 pounds.
Alright, well that's it for the update right now. I will be updating more now that I'm up and going here again with the weight loss. Will also share some yummy recipes soon. Wish me luck.
So, I left here at 161.5 pounds. I had lost around 19 pounds since beginning my weight loss journey after Cass was born. Guess how much I gained while in the United States? 19 pounds!! :) Ha ha ha. That seriously cracks me up.
Let me just tell you...it was worth every ounce. I thoroughly enjoyed every single pound! No worries, no regrets here.
But, yes...now I am on my way to skinny again. I look like I did in those first pictures again (last post). But, I've already made progress. I started out at 180 again and am back down to 173 or so. Not too bad...7 pounds in about 3 weeks.
I hit a little bit of a rough spot the past few days...just a little bit unmotivated. I love to run, but developed some major shin splints. I had gotten up to running 30 minutes straight around 4 times a week. But, the shin splints are making me not too happy about running. They are killers. Still, on I go. Hopefully the pain will subside soon and the motivation will return.
I have several goals. Here they are:
1. I am still doing Weight Watchers and last week I joined a challenge on their message boards...20 pounds in 10 weeks. So, if I accomplish that, I will be 153 pounds by June 1st. That will leave 18 pounds more after that to reach my goal of 135.
2. We are planning to take a little trip up north to Manaus (the base we are scheduled to move to at the end of this year) the first part of July. So, after the 20 pounds by June 1st, that leaves me 4 more weeks to lose 2 pounds a week before we go on our trip...putting me down to 145 pounds by June 29th. That's what I weighed when I got pregnant with Eissa. It'll be nice to be back to that again.
At that point, I will go into maintenance mode for about a month or month and a half. We will be traveling and when we get back we will have visitors from the states staying with us (and we'll be showing them all the sights and foods known here). And, honestly 145 pounds is actually not a bad weight for me. But, I do hope to make it back to the 135-140 range at some point...after our company leaves perhaps. But, for the more immediate future (June 29th to be exact), my goal is 145 pounds.
Alright, well that's it for the update right now. I will be updating more now that I'm up and going here again with the weight loss. Will also share some yummy recipes soon. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Moving and Packing
Yep, that's been what we've been up to these past couple of weeks. It's been quite crazy.
So, I basically didn't count points or anything (the move and then the process of getting everything done to travel to the states for 2 months...which we are still in the middle of) for about a week and a half. I then weighed again on Friday and Saturday morning...both revealing a weight of 166. Yikes. I started back on points Saturday. Also started running again (15 minutes every day). Monday morning I weighed in (my usual weigh-in day now) back down at 162.5 (back down to my lowest...what I was 2 weeks prior).
We'll see if I hit my goal of 160 or less by this Monday...I kind of doubt it. But, maybe I'll be close at least.
I can definitely tell you that I'm at least feeling skinnier these days. That's for sure a good thing. Oh, to feel light again and be able to get in any sitting position I want to and play with my kids on the floor...it is nice. And it's just going to get nicer as the pounds drop off.
I'll let you know what my final weigh-in on Monday reveals (final before travel anyway). That is the day we leave, so if I can't get to filling you in on that exact day...soon. Of course, we'll see what kind of damage the USA does to me too. :) Kidding. I will at least maintain, if not lose there too. We'll see.
And finally...another picture. And just because it's been SO VERY LONG since there was a new picture of me on here, I'll just put all the ones I've taken since I started...that way we can get a better view of the progress (hopefully we can tell some progress has been made anyway).
Wow, I have posted less pictures on here than I thought.
O.K., the first 2 were taken April 26th. Cass was 4 weeks old. This is the day I started on Weight Watchers...for the first time this year anyway (several starts and stops due to circumstances around here). :)
The second 2 were taken May 24th. I had completed 4 full weeks of Weight Watchers.
And then the third 2 were taken this past Monday. Like I said, I've done it on and off around here since April. Total weight loss since that first picture is 17.5 pounds. YAY! Only 27.5 more to go. :)
I still have that little baby bump. Unfortunately, I have that baby bump even though the baby is OUT OF MY BELLY and is already 8 1/2 MONTHS OLD. Ha ha ha!! But, it's smaller at least. Why is it that most of my weight shows up there? Annoying. But, I'm super excited about the progress made...and can't wait to get to the part where I've reached my goal. Woohoo!
So, I basically didn't count points or anything (the move and then the process of getting everything done to travel to the states for 2 months...which we are still in the middle of) for about a week and a half. I then weighed again on Friday and Saturday morning...both revealing a weight of 166. Yikes. I started back on points Saturday. Also started running again (15 minutes every day). Monday morning I weighed in (my usual weigh-in day now) back down at 162.5 (back down to my lowest...what I was 2 weeks prior).
We'll see if I hit my goal of 160 or less by this Monday...I kind of doubt it. But, maybe I'll be close at least.
I can definitely tell you that I'm at least feeling skinnier these days. That's for sure a good thing. Oh, to feel light again and be able to get in any sitting position I want to and play with my kids on the floor...it is nice. And it's just going to get nicer as the pounds drop off.
I'll let you know what my final weigh-in on Monday reveals (final before travel anyway). That is the day we leave, so if I can't get to filling you in on that exact day...soon. Of course, we'll see what kind of damage the USA does to me too. :) Kidding. I will at least maintain, if not lose there too. We'll see.
And finally...another picture. And just because it's been SO VERY LONG since there was a new picture of me on here, I'll just put all the ones I've taken since I started...that way we can get a better view of the progress (hopefully we can tell some progress has been made anyway).
Wow, I have posted less pictures on here than I thought.
O.K., the first 2 were taken April 26th. Cass was 4 weeks old. This is the day I started on Weight Watchers...for the first time this year anyway (several starts and stops due to circumstances around here). :)
The second 2 were taken May 24th. I had completed 4 full weeks of Weight Watchers.
And then the third 2 were taken this past Monday. Like I said, I've done it on and off around here since April. Total weight loss since that first picture is 17.5 pounds. YAY! Only 27.5 more to go. :)
I still have that little baby bump. Unfortunately, I have that baby bump even though the baby is OUT OF MY BELLY and is already 8 1/2 MONTHS OLD. Ha ha ha!! But, it's smaller at least. Why is it that most of my weight shows up there? Annoying. But, I'm super excited about the progress made...and can't wait to get to the part where I've reached my goal. Woohoo!
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